The Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) is one of the University of Kentucky's multidisciplinary research centers. Its energy research provides a focal point for environmental, renewable and fossil fuels research in Kentucky.

"HOME GROWN OIL" is an article about "drop-in" replacements for transportation fuels that are made from organic trash or excreted by algae. The article, appearing in the Spring 2012 The Trends Journal issue, features the University of Kentucky's Center for Applied Energy Research's project concerned with the utilization of waste CO2 and heat from a coal-fired power plant to cultivate algae. The algae could then be processed into fuel and other products while lowering CO2 emissions at the plant.